The Coastside Victims Fund Rallies for Financial Support on National Gun Violence Awareness Day

HALF MOON BAY, CA, USA, June 2, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- This past January, unimaginable tragedy struck the scenic Coastside city of Half Moon Bay, located just 24 miles south of San Francisco, when a gunman killed four and wounded another at a mushroom farm before killing three more people at a nearby facility. All the victims were isolated Chinese or Mexican farmworkers and breadwinners for their families with little resources, compounding the heartbreaking loss. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 200 mass shootings across the U.S. so far this year. While ending gun violence will not be achieved overnight, there is an immediate way to support those most affected by this tragedy. In honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, the Coastside Victims Fund is requesting donations from the public, charitable institutions and Bay Area companies to address the tremendous long-term needs of the mass shooting victims and their families.

“As a survivor of gun violence, I know first-hand that the trauma never leaves you. It lasts forever. For survivors, the trauma can impact physical and mental health, relationships, work, finances, and family life,” said former Congresswoman Jackie Speier. “As we prepare to recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Month, let’s not look away. Let’s look ahead by donating to the Coastside Victims Fund and honoring those whose lives have been taken or forever altered by taking the necessary actions to end gun violence.”

The Coastside Victims Fund, established by the Mavericks Community Foundation and the San Mateo Credit Union (SMCU) Community Fund with the support of the City of Half Moon Bay, is currently the sole vehicle where 100% of donations and other forms of restitution is channeled to address the financial needs and loss suffered by victims and their loved ones. This centralized Victims Fund fields inquiries for community support and provides grants to individuals regardless of citizenship status with no income requirements or lengthy eligibility applications. Most importantly, the Fund does not restrict how the funds can be used, which allows recipients to cope and manage their needs as they see fit.

“As a retired physician, practicing general medicine in Half Moon Bay for 22 years, there has never been any incident that has shaken our community more than the shootings on January 23,” said Mayor Deborah Penrose. “It is going to take a long time for our community to heal. Right now, we must do all that we can to support the victims and families of this tragedy.”

“While the affected families received immediate basic needs support since the mass shooting to help them stabilize, as with gun violence victims all over the nation, this trauma will impact them for the rest of their lives,” said Amber Stariha, executive director of the Mavericks Community Foundation. “After the headlines fade, they continue to need financial support around sudden income loss, ongoing household expenses, staggering medical bills, not to mention counseling associated with long-term PTSD and survivors' guilt. Continued donations will help rebuild these families from the ground up, which will have a lasting impact for them and the Coastside community at large.”

The Coastside Victims Fund is modeled after the best practices and work of Ken Feinberg, Special Master of the U.S. government's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. All the monies raised go directly to those most impacted by the shooting, including to family members /next of kin of those whose lives were taken, victims that sustained serious injury requiring hospitalization, and others who have experienced psychological and emotional harm.

To donate now to the victims of the Half Moon Bay shooting on January 23, 2023, please visit CoastsideVictimsFund.org.

About Mavericks Community Foundation
In 2015, a few like-minded individuals with a long history of nonprofit involvement on the coast had an idea to accomplish one major goal: raise money for local nonprofits. The Mavericks Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves as a catalyst for local giving by bringing awareness to nonprofits in the San Mateo Coast community. The Coastside Victims Fund, in association with San Mateo Credit Union (SMCU) Community Fund, provides direct support for the victims and families affected by the Half Moon Bay shooting.

Evita McDaniels
Broughton M&C
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